Pappa Grande

What do you guys think if I just bought snow tires for the front of my car? We all have front wheel drive cars. The rear tires are pretty much drag-alongs. I'd prefer to just buy snow tires for my front wheels and save some money.
Furthermore, don't most guys only run slicks on their front tires.

Any down sides if I do this?

MaxWolf

iTrader: (1)

yes there are downsides. Other than being illegal in my state. not too difficult to loose your back end if going down a hill and breaking...throw some snow/black ice/ into the scenerio and your car is as good as a top. Snow tires is an investment not to be skimped on. Remember the tire is the only thing connecting our great cars to the pavement...you need the best contact possible.

Pappa Grande

Illegal?????
Why? Does it really become that more dangerous by putting snow tires on the front and regulars on the rear? More to the point - how does it become more dangerous than just using all regular tire????

Sin

If you even need to ask, maybe you shouldn't have a license. This is part of most driver licensing programs.

When you run winters in the front and non-winters in the rear, in winter conditions, you have significantly more grip in the front than the rear, this means that under braking, your rear wheels will lock up way before your fronts, which means don't be surprised if you're steering by looking through your rear view.

If you were to have all non-winters, you would simply slide and slide until you hit something. With this combo, you'd spin and spin until you hit something.

MaxWolf

iTrader: (1)

Yes it is Illegal in Maine. If one end of your car has better traction than the other then it's not hard to see which end would give first.

2DMax

iTrader: (2)

If you buy Blizzaks, you have to do all four....

Kashoggio

iTrader: (11)

if you have abs, you ahve to get all 4. most places wont mount your two snow tires on the front if you have abs.

Bags

iTrader: (3)

This is how it was explained to me... so PLEASE if I have it wrong someone correct me

In a FWD vehicle the front wheels pull the car. If you hit water and hydroplain you loose the ability to steer, but you still go forward, due to the rear wheels not being able to turn.

In a FWD vehicle if the rear wheel hydroplain your car is still moving forward. But since your front wheels turn, your rear end can swing around with out you turning the wheel.

Again if I am wrong someone tell me.

So thus if you have WORSE traction in the back you will not be able to control your vehicle. Hopefully I got this correct and it makes sense

maxfanfromohio

iTrader: (7)

Sounds god to me.

maxfanfromohio

iTrader: (7)

Good. I meant good.

Gotrice4

honest questions....

In a drag race how many turns does a racer have to make?

When you drive how many turns do you make?

The differences between you choosing only to get two snow tires mounted and a drag racer only choosing to get two drag slick/radials is completely different. There is a purpose why drag racers run slicks up front and skinnies out back(or reverse with rear-wheel drive) and there is a purpose to why you should get 4 snow tires....

Pappa Grande

1.Never had winter tires 101 in NJ
2.To partially answer your question - 95% of my commute is straight highway driving, so my concern is not turning, but hydroplaning or something to that effect.
3.Thanks for all the responses - I've learned something new today.

StygianMax

iTrader: (8)

To add to the other input...

...snow tires are designed with big chunky tread blocks to also provide lateral traction. This is important for preventing the car's back end from kicking out.

bert

Running 2 tires is like running half a condom... it just don't work.

Styg: ...but when it does go out you are VSF! Since you have good traction in front, you can accelerate, you can turn in decently, but when the back end gives it up... "Oh, look, that's where I came from!" Lift-off oversteer only gets worse.

Frank Fontaine

I used to run 4 snows on all my Volvos for peace of mind. But it kicked my butt in the pocketbook dept because I'd be doing roughly $105 each for a 185-70/14 studded Hakka 10, I don't even want to know what a 215-55/16 would cost. The 215 is a poor size anyway so I wouldn't be willing to pay much for it. A 195/65-15 would be much better in the snow.

Yesterday we got 7", and surprisingly, my Sumitomo HTR+ in 235/40-18 got me going without a single hitch. Very surprising, I didn't even get stuck in the grocery store which was not yet plowed. Technology sure has changed, imagine that, being in the snow on a 40's series tire with a 235 footprint. Got me wondering if a pure summer tire in a 235/40-18 would have gotten stuck.

Gotrice4

I wasn't trying to be rude before, i meant that you had honest questions....

Anyway, usually hydroplaning is not a problem during the winter...

Also, even though 95% of your commute is "straight" highway driving, you do make turns, and sometimes make abrupt maneveurs because of other drivers...so the concern of your throwing your rear-end becomes an issue...

phenryiv1

iTrader: (19)

I have always heard that no matter whether you have FWD or RWD, for daily driving, you want your grippiest tires in the REAR. I did not say it, it is just what i was always told. So if yuo DID run winters on one end only, theoretically it would be the rear, not the front.

Pappa Grande

He he. #1 wasn't directed at you, but another way above - thanks for the good info.

2DMax

iTrader: (2)

Different traction on all corners really messes with the handling. Blizzaks with their funk composition, need all 4 tires to be the same.
"Install Blizzak WS-50 tires in sets of four only.

Due to the revolutionary traction capabilities of the Blizzak, Bridgestone recommends using Blizzaks only in sets of four to provide the best handling characteristics and tire performance."
(source: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....=Blizzak+WS-50)

"Why Four Winter Tires? I Thought I Would Only Need Two.
Today's winter tires are better at providing ice and snow traction than ever before. The technology used to develop the tread designs and tread compounds has evolved beyond what you may have used previously. Every one of our tire manufacturers and 7 out of 10 vehicle manufacturers recommend four winter tires be used on rear wheel, front wheel or four wheel drive vehicles. This is because if you use two dissimilar types of tires on your vehicle, you'll have a vehicle that has a "split" personality. One end of the vehicle won't react and perform the same as the other in the dry, wet, slush and snow conditions you'll encounter before the end of winter. Especially in emergency situations, you'll find that your vehicle will probably understeer in one condition and oversteer in another. It is preferable to keep your vehicles handling as consistently as possible by "matching" all four tires. Our customers who have matched their tires tell us they're glad they made the extra investment in four winter tires (and wheels) so they can accelerate, brake, handle and better control their vehicle through winter's challenges."
(source: http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/faqs.html#y4)

...and AWD vehicles require tires to be changed at the same time because different diameter tires will mess up the traction control.

n2oMike

I've never run four snow tires. I don't know anyone who has.... short of those with four wheel drive.

I've got snow tires on the front and all seasons on the back, and the car does just fine. If you tried to take a turn at an unreasonable speed, the back would slide out before the front... but a little common sense goes a long way.

Two snow tires is way better than none at all.

Good Luck!